How did you come to acquire Albert Road Opticians?
Deepak Oberai Prior to acquiring Albert Road Opticians I worked as a locum optometrist to get a feel of what my options were. I did the lot – domiciliary eye care, laser vision correction, mobile clinics, worked in high street multiples and independent opticians. What excited me however was the prospect of my own independent practice.
I was locuming at what is now Albert Road when the previous owner invited me to play a round of golf. Despite having never played before, I knew this was the perfect opportunity to bring about the conversation about purchasing the business. During the game I floated the idea and he came up with an unusual reply, ‘Only if you buy me a car as part of the deal.’ I obliged and Albert Road Opticians was born.
What was your original vision and did it come true?
DO My original vision was to have a practice that stood out from the crowd. I didn’t want to be just another optician, and the way to achieve this was to specialise in a niche.
My first visit to Silmo in Paris crystallised this vision when I was introduced to luxury eyewear. As a spectacle wearer myself I was taken aback and was bursting with excitement to bring unique eyewear to my local community.
However, the challenge was that there are great independent practices in my local area. To stand out we needed to be quirky and fashionable – something we managed with our large spectacle sculpture that has now become something of a monument in the community.
What makes Albert Road Opticians original in its approach to fashion in practice?
DO There are no glasses on display in the Tea Room (waiting area). We display our selected frames in an eyewear gallery that can be viewed primarily on an appointment-only basis. This signals exclusivity and creates anticipation for a special experience.
Instead of letting patients select their own eyewear, we encourage conversation about the intended outcome – something called, the Eyewear Styling Consultation. This results in more thought about the spectacles and gives us an opportunity to overcome any obstacles and to promote multiple pair dispensing. It also gives us control over what frames the client selects by looking at facial features, hair and skin colour, etc.
We source our eyewear from trade shows across the world, but mainly selected collections that have a story to tell.
This creates an experience for the buyer of how the frames were made and why a particular style was chosen. We only stock a few brands but carry them in a lot of styles and colours, keeping product knowledge at the forefront of the sales process.
What has been the most important, interesting and challenging part of your role in driving fashion in this practice?
DO We have an older client base who often don’t think of themselves as fashionable. They view spectacles as practical items rather than fashion accessories. The biggest challenge has been to change this mindset which we have achieved with our ‘Wall of Frame’. This is a wall where we keep pictures of our clients wearing cool eyewear, most of whom tend to know each other. This gives our clients social proof that common folk can look good and feel great in their glasses.
What makes working in your practice environment interesting for the staff?
DO We like to do things differently at Albert Road, and my staff are the key to this success. From the moment you walk into the practice it’s evident that all staff have a passion for eyewear. Each day you will see every member of staff change their look with their unique eyewear.
Staff product knowledge and training is crucial to making the process successful.
I often involve staff in the frame selection process and encourage them to travel to international trade shows to learn from others in the field.
How does the practice environment engage clients to buy into the high quality eyewear you display?
DO We offer a tea ceremony on arrival. The practice journey is often compared to that of an upmarket hotel instead of an opticians. It’s the staff’s job to wow patients. This could be in the form of flowers on anniversaries and cakes on birthdays. This is then discussed in our weekly team meetings to encourage thinking out of the box to create a wow experience.
We also regularly hold trunk shows combined with food and wine events which opens up the doors to interesting eyewear without the commitment to purchase. Such events are great for relationship building but also encourage our clients to push their own boundaries.
I often say to clients that my reputation is walking around on your face. What excites me is when my clients get complimented on their eyewear. Once a client gets used to fashionable eyewear and compliments, they trust our opinion more and are open to suggestions.
Which product trends do you see coming in 2017 and how will the store stay with the times?
DO Trends have recently moved towards finer acetate frames with splashes of colour. More vintage styles with a modern twist. To keep abreast with the trends we plan to visit trade shows in Paris and Milan combined with visits to leading opticians who are visionaries in the field.
